How Integrated Ecological-Economic Modelling Can Inform Landscape Pattern in Forest Agroecosystems

Abstract

Purpose of Review The purpose of this review is to analyse recent advances in ecological-economic modelling designed to inform desirable landscape composition and configuration. We explore how models capture the economic and ecological consequences of landscape pattern, and potential feedbacks to the responses by policy or landholders. Recent Findings Modelling approaches are becoming increasingly interlinked, coupling components of empirical-statistical modelling, spatial and bioeconomic simulation, land-use optimization and agent-based models. We analyse recent methodological advances and find that only few examples capture feedbacks between landscape pattern and decision-making. Summary We outline how future hybrid models could build on these recent advances by inter alia an improved representation of landscape patterns, refining the theory behind decision-making, incorporating uncertainty and reducing model complexity. We conclude that coupling recent developments in land-use optimization and agent-based models may help bridge gaps between modelling philosophies as well as parsimony vs. complexity. This fruitful field of research could help to improve understanding on the role of landscape pattern in social-ecological systems.